Trend-ology

Fashion trends are constantly changing. A single shift in print, color, material, embellishment, or silhouette may quickly become a major new trend. Yet while the contemporary fashion press tirelessly reports the latest trend news, it offers scant insight into where trends originate.

Trend-ology investigates the diverse sources from which fashion trends have emerged over the past 250 years, including urban street style, art, music, film, and socio-political movements. The objects in the exhibition represent a wide variety of trends, with attention paid to source as well as to type (print, color,
and silhouette, for example). They range from nineteenth-century tartan dresses that were inspired by popular Scottish-themed novels, to twenty-first-century “high-low” collaborations, such as a Rodarte for Target sequined dress. The exhibition also highlights industry developments that have had an impact on how trends spread.

1700-1850

Trend-following may be a contemporary obsession, but the patterns of taste and preference that we call trends can be observed throughout fashion history. During the eighteenth century, for example, a trend for yellow emerged in the courts of Europe. Europeans had once negatively associated yellow with “heretics,” but in China it was an auspicious color associated with the emperor. Goods imported from and inspired by “the Orient” were gaining favor in Europe, and the popularity of chinoiserie elevated yellow’s cultural meaning.

The yellow color of these two ensembles was particularly trendy during the 18th century. Prior to this period, Europeans negatively associated yellow with “heretics,” but in China it was an auspicious color associated with the emperor. The transformation of yellow’s cultural meaning was prompted by the growing popularity of chinoiserie that developed with the influx of goods imported to Europe from China.

Dress

In his novel, Waverly, Sir Walter Scott described the lands of Scotland as covered in tartan, and in preparation for a visit by King George IV, Scott organized a tartan dress code. The king was so impressed that he adopted tartan as his official attire and began a trend for this pattern.

Dress and Shawl

Shawls elaborately woven with the boteh motif (known today as paisley) were imported to Europe from Kashmir, India, as early as the 17th century. These rare and extravagant scarves were ideal for accessorizing the neoclassical fashions dominant around 1800. With the invention of the Jacquard loom in 1801, European weavers became able to mass-manufacture shawls of the same style, such as the one seen here, opening up the trend to a wider demographic of consumers.

Paisley became highly fashionable during the 19th century. While it originated in the boteh motif of luxurious Kashmiri scarves, the trend spread beyond accessories to decorate entire ensembles—as seen here in both a printed and a woven pattern. This transition began with the invention of the Jacquard loom in 1801, which allowed European mills, based largely in the town of Paisley, Scotland, to mass-produce woven versions of the design.

1850-1910

The industrial revolution of the nineteenth century led to certain capitalist developments that altered the way trends propagate. The department store, for example, offered clients one-stop shopping for a variety of goods at a faster turnover rate of stock than ever before, thus speeding up the pace of the trend cycle. Also, through the innovation of mail-order catalogues, department stores began marketing trendy items to a wider demographic of consumers.

The vibrant shades of green and blue seen here were created using “aniline” or synthetic dyes. Synthetic dyes were first introduced to fashion in 1856, when William Henry Perkin discovered a purple residue during a chemical experiment and combined it with a reduction process pioneered by Antoine Béchamp. The “Béchamp Reduction” allowed Perkin to mass-manufacture his new dyes quickly and cheaply, thus ushering in a trend for bright hues that became synonymous with late 19th-century fashion.

The monochromatic, black suit seen here shows the trend for restrained dressing that has come to define 19th-century menswear. In stark contrast to the bright, aniline-dyed womenswear of the period, men gravitated toward black and other subdued colors.

In 1856, Queen Victoria’s Balmoral Castle was decorated in tartan upholstery, curtains, and carpet. The tartan pattern and green trim on the pagoda sleeve and bodice of the dress at the left complement the queen’s furniture. Despite shifts in silhouette, the trend emerged again during the 1880s in the United States.

The House of Worth (Charles Frederick Worth) Evening dress

This luxurious silk brocade evening dress shows Charles Frederick Worth’s elaborate use of textiles and trims. The establishment of his couture house between late 1856 and early 1857 changed the structure of fashion. “Haute couture set up the idea of trends, new seasons, and rapid changing of fashion,” said sociologist Gilles Lipovetsky.

The construction of these women’s shirtwaists was influenced by menswear tailoring. The shirtwaist served a dynamic role in a woman’s wardrobe, enabling transitions from daywear to activewear. Throughout the 1890s, factories on the Lower East Side of New York began mass-produced shirtwaists, thus increasing its distribution and popularity.

Lord & Taylor Evening dress

This elaborately embellished dinner dress was custom made at the department store Lord & Taylor in New York. The advent of the department store allowed customers to select the latest fabrics, trims, and accessories under one roof. This innovation provided a wider demographic access to fashion at a faster pace than ever before.

This dress shows signs of medieval influence in the gatherings down its sleeves, as well as in its raised waistline and square neck. During the mid-19th century, the Aesthetic dress movement promoted a return to pre-Renaissance forms, led by artists of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. By the early 20th century, such medieval elements had become part of high fashion—particularly in tea gowns that were designed to be worn at home.

The natural green of this dress contrasts greatly with aniline-dyed hues that dominated fashion in the late 19th century. An interest in natural, muted colors, as well as stylized floral embroidery such as that seen here, first arose in the Aesthetic dress movement during the mid-19th century. Although radical when they first emerged, elements of this style were increasingly on trend by 1898.

1910-1960

During the 1920s, Jean Patou and Gabrielle Chanel designed chic, knit ensembles for their French clients, thus ushering in a trend for knitwear. This relaxed material was ideal for the new, active woman, who might be playing a round of tennis or walking around the city, shopping. During the 1930s, glamorous, bias-cut dresses seen in both Hollywood films and couture collections became a significant trend. In 1947, Christian Dior’s “New Look” revitalized haute couture. Within a year, this trend in silhouette spread from Paris to London and New York. It became particularly popular in the United States. In order to capitalize on the American market, Jacques Fath, Christian Dior, and, Jean Dessès designed ready-to-wear collections to suit the tastes of their American clienteles. Manufactured and sold exclusively in the U.S., such “satellite collections” became integral to the fashion cycle throughout the 1950s, disseminating couture trends through American department stores.

Paul Poiret dress

Paul Poiret was renowned for his orientalism. The elongated, purple damask and velvet tunic seen here draws inspiration from fashions of the Near and Far East. According to fashion historian Caroline Millbank, Poiret’s “affinity with all things Eastern” went so far that he claimed “to have been a Persian prince in a previous life.”

The sleek diagonal lines on this sweater indicate the influence the Art Deco movement had on fashion. Designs rendered in jersey knitwear brought a relaxed aspect to 1920s fashion, while separates provided an option to mix and match pieces.

This chain stitch ensemble emulates sportswear designs by Jean Patou and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, whose jersey knit creations brought a casual, chic style to French fashion. Journalist Meredith Etherington-Smith said that Patou’s clients were “always adventurous, with notations of being sporty or at least looking as if they played tennis or golf, even if they didn’t.”

Liberty & Company Evening Coat

This Chinese-style evening coat demonstrates the orientalism that became synonymous with modernity in early 20th-century fashion. Paul Poiret typified the new style in Paris, but the designs of Liberty & Co. led the trend in England. As fashion historian Sonia Ashmore points out, Liberty “pioneered the unstructured cut of Asian clothing as a means of liberating women from their corsets.”

Evening cape

Dramatic, fur-trimmed evening capes such as this were ubiquitous in high fashion of the 1920s. Characterized by opulent textiles and a cocoon-like silhouette, these coats were reminiscent of Chinese robes. While Poiret’s orientalist designs had been revolutionary ten years earlier, orientalism was now perfectly on trend on both sides of the Atlantic.

This gown could be worn in a Hollywood film or to a gala affair. Champagne silk satins and rhinestone embellishments were used in black-and-white films to catch the light against dark backgrounds. Stars such as Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, and Greta Garbo influenced the trend for these dresses.

This bias-cut evening gown glistens as it moves, thanks to the combination of lamé and silk moiré. Muriel King found success as both a Hollywood costume designer and a fashion designer during the 1930s and 1940s. She translated costumes created for Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, and Rita Hayworth into glamorous dresses that could be worn off screen.

This Hollywood costume was worn by Greta Garbo in the film Queen Christina, and it influenced a fashion collection with the same title that sold in Macy’s Cinema Shop. The Tobé Report highlighted the collection in its weekly report covering the latest fashions and industry trends. Tobé was one of the first fashion advisory services; it began publishing its trend reports in 1927.

The black Creed suit served as the fashion editor’s “uniform” during the 1930s. Bettina Ballard recalls her early years reporting on trends in Paris: “I would dress very carefully every morning, always the same black Creed suit, but a different hat and scarf.” Such a suit provided the working woman a professional look at a moderately affordable price during the depression.

The plaids and polka-dots on these sportswear ensembles show the playful side of American fashion. Claire McCardell and Tom Brigance created unique ready-to-wear designs that set them apart from more formal French fashion. This became the foundation for a sportswear style known as, “The American Look,” a term coined by Dorothy Shaver, then president of Lord & Taylor and an early promoter of American fashion.

This playsuit is decorated with a photo-print of New York cityscapes. By removing the bolero the wearer can transition from the city to the beach—a practical feature for women who took advantage of the newly shortened, five-day work week, which allowed more time for leisure activities.

Jacques Fath came to New York twice a year to design ready-to-wear collections suited to the tastes of his American clientele. Fath collaborated with manufacturer Joseph Halpert to articulate his vision of garments that would sell on the American market. The polka dots on this evening dress and jacket add flair to the ensemble.

The clean lines and button detail of this haute couture dress give it a deceptively simple appearance. Designer Jacques Fath skillfully hid the complex construction that creates the overall silhouette and drape of the skirt. Fath’s designs were youthful alternatives to the creations of Christian Dior.

The hourglass silhouette of this couture evening ensemble is known as the “New Look.” Christian Dior introduced it to the fashion industry with his Corolle collection of 1947. Characterized by a nipped-in waist, full skirt, and rounded shoulders, this ultra-feminine style became the dominant trend of the 1950s.

This full-skirted silhouette was a favorite style of American designer Anne Fogarty. Heavily influenced by Dior’s New Look, Fogarty marketed her version of the trend to modern housewives on a limited budget. In her book Wife Dressing, she recommends investing in petticoats that “take on the shape of the dress . . . since full-skirt styles change gradually season by season.”

1960-1980

The jet-set lifestyle of the 1960s enabled fashion photographers, editors, and socialites to travel to far-off locations, such as Africa, India, and Japan. This inspired a trend for “exotic” wardrobes, typified by the brightly patterned caftans and Pucci print ensembles featured in the pages of Vogue.
Throughout the twentieth century, music inspired fashion. During the 1970s, Halston’s slinky, silk jersey designs filled the dance floors of Studio 54.

Oscar de la Renta drew inspiration from non-western fashions when he created this vibrant, bejeweled caftan worn by Diana Vreeland, then editor in chief of Vogue. Caftans originated in the courtly dress of Islamic cultures. This high-fashion version is emblematic of a trend for the “exotic” that developed in the late 1960s.

The bright, graphic print on this dress is a signature element of Emilio Pucci’s designs. Similar ensembles became fixtures in Vogue during the 1960s. Set against the backdrop of exotic locations, such as the Indian temple seen in the fashion spread above, Pucci’s designs became wardrobe essentials for the jet set.

The “miniskirt” style of this dress became an emblem of London youth culture during the 1960s. Designer Mary Quant pioneered the trend from Bazaar, her boutique on the Kings Road in London. Quant drew inspiration for her designs from the minimalist styles of 1950s beatniks, as well as the short-skirted, flat-shoed ensembles of tap dancers.

The “miniskirt” became a fixture in the work of André Courrèges, who wanted to infuse his couture with a youthful and futuristic sensibility befitting the Space Age. Courrèges likely would have accessorized a dress such as this with boots, a helmet-like hat, and perhaps goggles.

By 1966, the “miniskirt” had reached the United States, and the New York Times declared it to be “the most important British import since the Beatles.” Here, New-York-based designer Geoffrey Beene has created his own version. While more conservative in length and cut than its British counterpart, the vinyl bow at the collar gives Beene’s dress a youthful and futuristic note.

The red, black, and cream stripes in this man’s suit exemplify the foppish style of 1960s swinging London. Outlandish suits from the boutique Granny Takes a Trip were described as “a 1960s reinvention of fin-de-siècle dandyism.” This boutique boosted an eclectic array of one-of-a-kind garments, originating a variety of trends.

The orange and metallic psychedelic print on this man’s jacket captures the flamboyant style of the Peacock Revolution. Michael Fish said that at his London boutique, Mr. Fish, “I tried to break down frontiers for men.” His tailored garments with peculiar prints attracted an elite clientele that included David Bowie and members of the Rolling Stones.

The tall, standing collar and single row of buttons on this jacket were inspired by the Nehru suit, a style originating in India. The Beatles were photographed wearing Nehru jackets while on a trip to India, sparking a trend that spread to the United States. Sammy Davis, Jr. was rumored to own over 200 Nehru suits.

In reaction to the mass-produced, capitalist material culture of the 1950s and early 1960s, an anti-establishment subculture developed in San Francisco. Its anti-fashion aesthetic, commonly referred to as “hippie” style, promoted re-used, natural materials and drew inspiration from folk art and Native American dress. Tie-dye, seen in this tank top, was popular, as were recycled garments, such as these jeans that were embroidered and patched by their owner.

Giorgio di Sant’Angelo took inspiration from hippie street style for his high-end ready-to-wear. This long, floral-print skirt plays on hippie peasant skirts, while the suede vest taps into what fashion historian Joel Lobenthal describes as “the hippies’ infatuation with the ensembles of Native Americans.” Sant’Angelo appropriated an innately anti-fashion aesthetic, elevating it to high fashion.

The body-revealing cut-away sides of this jumpsuit were designed to be seen on the dance floor at Studio 54 and other discos of the 1970s. “A designer is only as good as the people he dresses,” said Halston, who created slinky designs for an elite clientele that included Ethel Scull, Liza Minnelli, and Bianca Jagger.

The back of this shirt features a graphic of a long playing vinyl disc, tying it to the disco scene of the 1970s. The trend in nightclubs was for brightly colored, form-fitting ensembles, as exemplified by John Travolta’s wardrobe in Saturday Night Fever. Nik Nik, an Italian brand, designed fitted, nylon, button-down shirts for men and women.

The print of this jacket was inspired by stickers that Stephen Sprouce observed on the underside of skateboards. He immediately purchased a stack of such stickers from a record store, then cut and manipulated them to create this montage of punk band names. The collection that included this jacket has been described as Sprouse’s “haute couture version of street trash.”

Both the jacket and the shirt seen here utilize bondage straps, a nod to the S&M subculture as appropriated by the punk movement. During the late 1970s, Boy of London and Seditionaries were the places to go in London for punk styles. Punk became a mainstream fashion trend by the early 1990s.

1980-2000

Twenty years after Halston’s slinky, silk jersey designs filled the dance floors of Studio 54, hip-hop artists such as Run-DMC and Salt-N-Pepa inspired Karl Lagerfeld’s 1991 Chanel collection. A dramatic example is his version of the gold “dookie” chain, which he festooned over an iconic Chanel wool suit.

The 1990s became known as the era of “logomania.” Luxury companies such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace, and Moschino began to conspicuously brand their garments, transforming them into status symbols of consumption. In reaction to these flashy fashions, designers such as Prada, Calvin Klein, and Helmut Lang created minimalist collections in black, gray, white, and nude color palettes, devoid of brand names.

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel suit and gold plated necklace

The prominent necklace of this ensemble was a key accessory in Karl Lagerfeld’s 1991 “hip hop” collection for Chanel. Lagerfeld drew direct inspiration from hip hop artists such as Run-DMC and Salt-N-Pepa, replicating distinct street styles such as the gold “dookie” chain. By festooning the necklace over an iconic Chanel wool suit, Lagerfeld marked hip hop’s official ascent to the high fashion runway.

The asymmetrical waistline, loose fit, and added panel of this dress are characteristic of Rei Kawakubo’s deconstructed designs for her label, Comme des Garçons. This style shocked the press when Kawakubo began showing in Paris in 1981. Nevertheless, key retailers, such as Joan Burstein of Brown’s in London, quickly began stocking Kawakubo’s work and promoting her avant-garde aesthetic.

This dress bears the hallmarks of the new Japanese aesthetic that emerged in the early 1980s: loose-fit, muted color palette, deconstructed details, and elements drawn from traditional Japanese workwear. Issey Miyake had been cultivating this style since 1970.
For this reason, according to fashion historian Yuniya Kawamura, Miyake “is considered the founding father of the new fashion trend.”

The black color of this jacket was a signature element of Yohji Yamamoto’s early designs. In 1981, he started showing in Paris, as did Rei Kawakubo. They ushered in a trend for conceptual clothing anchored by the use of black, unfinished details, and an unconventional fit that came to define a new school of Japanese design.

The bands on this wrap skirt can be tied in alternate ways to produce a number of different looks. In Donna Karan’s first collection, she introduced her “seven easy pieces” concept: a wardrobe of interchangeable garments that could be worn in various combinations. They became staples for the urban career woman of the 1980s.

The padded shoulders and narrow skirt of this suit are characteristic of a trend known as “power dressing” that emerged during the 1980s. According to Vogue in 1984, “power suits” drew on menswear elements as a form of “armor” for female executives: “The overscaled proportions and authoritative lines of men’s clothes give the wearer a look of dash and swagger, power and assurance.”

Christian Lacroix evening dress

Christian Lacroix’s vibrant turquoise evening dress demonstrates a trend for flashy luxury that reached its apex in the late 1980s. A recent article in the New York Times called it a period that “belonged unmistakably to Christian Lacroix,” whose designs “became status items for a new generation of shoppers . . . looking for a way to live it up and show it off.”

Carolyne Roehm evening set: gown, jacket

The ornate matelassé of this jacket was elaborately hand-embroidered. Such opulent materials became hallmarks of Carolyne Roehm’s “entrance making” designs. “I’m not out to dress Middle America,” Roehm unabashedly told the New York Times, “just that portion that goes to places where they need dressier clothes and can afford them.”

The front of this dress was intentionally left unfinished, yet Hans Schreiber brought an elegant aspect to the look by individually layering strips of frayed silk chiffon. Like his predecessors, Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester, Schreiber attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, which has been called “the training ground for deconstructionism.”

Ann Demeulemeester altered the construction of a traditional suit by turning the jacket on the bias, thus giving it an asymmetrical appearance. The New York Times credits Demeulemeester and Martin Margiela with “rupturing the close-knit cabal of the fashion establishment in Paris.” Demeulemeester’s finely tailored suits brought a feminine touch to the deconstruction movement.

A trend for minimalism was flourishing by 1997, in contrast to the logo-drenched garments and conspicuous luxury of late-1980s and early-1990s high fashion. Along with Calvin Klein, Austrian-born Helmut Lang was a defining figure in the movement away from embellishment and toward clean lines and pared-down design. Within minimalism, black was a significant color.

The sleek lines and hues of this dress are typical of the minimalist aesthetic of the 1990s. Calvin Klein describes his clients as “Americans who like simple, comfortable, but stylish clothes—but with nothing over scale or extreme.” Minimalism became a megatrend that stretched across multiple industries, including architecture, as evidenced by Klein’s flagship store, designed by John Pawson.

This dress appears to be simple, but close examination reveals its meticulous construction. Ralph Rucci placed darts throughout the neck and waist, “giving every seam . . . a purpose.” The elegance and poetry of Japanese tea ceremonies has served as inspiration for Rucci’s designs.

These two sweaters were constructed using old, woolen military socks like the ones seen here. The exposed straight pins and unfinished seams emphasize the Belgian deconstructed style championed by Martin Margiela. Fashion journalist Amy M. Spindler has said that “Mr. Margiela is the reluctant leader of a revolutionary movement in fashion—deconstructionism—that has permeated everything from haute couture to street dressing.”

This puffer jacket, logo t-shirt, and baggy pants ensemble was a popular style among hip-hop artists of the 1990s. The preppy style of Tommy Hilfiger was favored among these musicians, perhaps because it projected an image of wealth. Hilfiger came to endorse a number of hip-hop artists, including Raekwon and Aaliyah.

The print on this jacket was designed to imitate the logo of the luxury German brand MCM. Daniel Day’s “Dapper Dan of Harlem” boutique became renowned for custom creations covered in luxury logos, such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. His boutique stayed open 24 hours, catering to a celebrity clientele that included hip-hop artists LL Cool J and Run D.M.C., who ushered in the era of logomania.

The eight-ball emblem seen here was worn and appropriated by hip-hop artists such as Salt-n-Pepa. The jacket became an inter-city status symbol during the early 1990s. As the trend spread to the suburbs, knock-offs made of cotton, such as the one on the right, were sold for half the price.

The company name “Moschino” is emblazoned on this jacket, and the words “Signed Garment” are conspicuously embroidered on its back. Moschino was known for his playful comments on the logo-obsessed fashion industry of the early 1990s. As fashion historian Rebecca Arnold described it, “This satirical word play at once undermines the wearer’s status claim . . . yet adds a kudos of self-awareness.”

Versace adorned this suit with metallic buttons that display his company’s distinctive logo. It features the head of Medusa—a woman from ancient Greek mythology who was transformed into a monster as punishment for her seductive and lustful actions. This made her the ideal heroine for Versace’s unique brand of sexually expressive clothing.

2000-today

In the twenty-first century, fashion trends emerge and spread in faster and more complex ways than ever before. The advent of fast fashion, the internet, and social media has expanded the global environment. The dynamic pace of the trend cycle prompted the 2012 New York Times headline, “Freedom of Choice: In Fashion, Are Trends Passé?” However, fashion forecasting companies have made researching and predicting trends a profitable business, proving that distinct styles continue to emerge and fade. Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier aptly points out that “designers are the catalysts of their time; their role is to translate the changes, the mutations, the evolution of society.” As culture continues to evolve, so, too, do trends in fashion.

John Galliano for Christian Dior dress

John Galliano brought camouflage to the House of Dior. He described the irony of the print’s evolution: “Originally designed to conceal male soldiers,” it began “adorning women’s bodies in the objective of enhancing their attractiveness to the opposite sex.” In 2001, Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) called camouflage “the biggest trend of the year.”

Vera Maxwell’s Speed Suit was designed to help the busy career woman get dressed in 17 seconds. Fashion scholar Sarah Scaturro interprets the meaning of Maxwell’s choice of print: “If camouflage was integral for the armed male, it was equally important for the females who had left the sphere of their home to venture into the public realm.”

Moroccan-born designer Claude Sabbah incorporates the American flag into the lining for the bodice of this dress and uses camouflage as his signature print. He describes camouflage as representing “all of the human contradictions: life and death, war and peace, love and hate. God is camouflage.”

John Bartlett man’s suit, yoga bag, dog leash

This colorful rendition of camouflage is a playful twist on the traditional military pattern. John Bartlett created the print by layering images of his pit bull, Tiny Tim. Bartlett says that this motif represents “Tiny Tim and all of his three legged glory.”

In 2012, Maison Martin Margiela collaborated with H&M to release a collection of heritage classics, including his trouser skirt. Margiela’s 1991 sock sweater inspired this new one (note that sock heels were used to accommodate the curves of the shoulders and elbows). Thus, 22 years after their debut, Margiela’s avant-garde garments hit the mainstream market.

This Liberty print dress was designed by British supermodel Kate Moss for the UK fast-fashion company, Topshop. By fusing Moss’s celebrity with the legacy of Liberty & Co., an historic, London department store, Topshop endowed the dress with a certain “Britishness.” Topshop’s anglophile approach sets it apart from other fast-fashion companies like Zara and H&M.

This Zara ensemble was inspired by a runway look from Céline’s Fall 2013 collection. Zara has built a multi-billion dollar business selling clothing “adapted” from high fashion runways, at a turnover rate of as little as two weeks. This has led Daniel Piette of LVMH to describe Zara as “possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world.”

This evening dress was inspired by a trip to Death Valley taken by the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte. They wanted to bring out the “ugly, yet beautiful” aspect of the California condor. They meticulously deconstructed various materials and pricked holes in the leather to resemble the bird’s skin, giving the collection a dark and gothic quality.

Right: Rodarte for Target evening dress
Polyester crepe chiffon, 2009, USA, gift of The Fashion and Textile Studies Department and the School of Graduate Studies, 2011.30.1

Rodarte chose an x-ray print of a ribcage for this dress in order to give it a “dark undercurrent.” Such imagery directly translated Rodarte’s aesthetic to its line for Target in a way that could be inexpensively mass-produced. Target’s “Design for All” collaborations allow designers to reach a wider demographic at an affordable price.

Rad Hourani’s unisex ensembles consists of everything from a boxy silhouette to high heel booties. In 2012, Hourani was invited by the Chambre Syndicale to create the first haute couture collection of unisex garments. Hourani says, “The aesthetic I’m creating is not a man going to a woman’s wardrobe or a woman wearing men’s clothes. It’s a completely unisex vision.”

The trend of unisex appears again and again in fashion history; Hourani’s rendition, however, truly redefines the gender roles and codes. Fashion historian Valerie Steele says we are now witnessing the “mainstreaming of gender-bending,” exemplified by the “hipster” style of skinny jeans, layered shirts, and Dr. Martens.

All the pieces of this ensemble were designed exclusively for the Parisian boutique Colette – “a store that has become a byword for cool,” according to Suzy Menkes of The International Herald Tribune. Famed for its limited edition, and often unconventional, collaborations with companies as diverse as Ralph Lauren and Disney (seen in the t-shirt at right), Colette has built a trendy reputation on its fusion of high fashion and street style. These collaborations have in turn set the standard for similar partnerships across the industry.

Carol Lim and Humberto Leon have positioned Opening Ceremony as a global trendsetter, selling a variety of products under constantly shifting themes. Initially, these themes focused on particular countries, featuring street style objects alongside creations by up-and-coming designers. Drawing inspiration from Korea,they carried this global interest into the design of their first runway collection, which included this ensemble.